LEMON COOKIES†

(ZITRONENKEKSE)

2  2/3  cups flour

    1/2  cup sugar

    1/2  cup ground almonds

2  1/4  sticks or 18 tablespoons butter or margarine

1         teaspoon vanilla extract

           zest (grated yellow from the peel) of 1 lemon

1         cup powdered sugar

2-3      tablespoons juice from lemon

Place flour on countertop, sprinkle sugar and almonds over it.  Add vanilla extract and zest of lemon.  Cut the butter or margarine in slices over the top and knead into smooth dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Roll out dough into 1/8” thickness on a lightly flowered countertop.  Cut into an equal number of 1 1/2" and 1” cookies using cutters or glasses.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400° for 6-8 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and allow them to cool for 30 minutes.  Stir powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice into a glaze.  Brush the glaze over the top of the smaller cookies and set aside.  Place a dab of glaze in the middle of the big cookie and place 1 small cookie on top.

Makes approximately 80 cookies